The earliest known cultural tattoos were found on female Egyptian mummies from about 2000 B.C. However, the earliest known tattoo was discovered on an "iceman" that dates back 5,200 years, who also had his ears pierced and stretched. These primitive tattoos were thought to be therapeutic and used as an attempt to relieve pain. The Egyptian tattoos are thought to be a type of amulet to help with pregnancy and birth. Early piercings can be found in many cultures. Earrings were common in ancient Greece and China. In ancient Rome, piercings were used as a form of chastity to prevent slaves from engaging in intercourse. In the West, tattoos and piercings were first popularized by sailors and fetishists.
Today, tattoos and piercings are used as a form of artistic self-expression, in addition to being used as the historical religious and emotional expressions. The Mentawai tribe of Indonesia tattoo their bodies in a series of weblike tattoos meant to represent the shapes of the forest and attract benevolent spirits. Some tattooers are considered artists and their work is viewed as a piece of art. Piercing began to become popular in the West during the 1980s among the punk rock cultures as a form of rebellion. At the same time, some people began using piercings in the traditional spiritual and ritualistic ways. Some subcultures use piercings as a way to express their tribal identity.
Today some of the most popular tattoos belong to a few different categories. Flowers, lettering and symbols remain some of the most popular types of tattoos, in addition to religious designs, expressions of love and portraits of people or wildlife. Popular piercings include the Labret, which is a piercing through the lip, the nostril, the nasal septum, the ear, the tongue and the genitals. Modern tattoos are done using a machine and needles that embed ink into the upper layers of skin. Many different colors and sizes of needles are used to achieve the desired effect. Piercings are done using sterile needles to open the skin, after which a piece of jewelry is placed into the resulting hole. When a piercing is removed, most holes will heal without significant scarring, but scars are a common side effect of piercing.
As with anything that punctures the flesh, tattoos and piercings are not without their risks. Tattoos and piercings can result in allergic reactions, skin infections, blood-borne diseases and MRI complications when swelling or burning results at the site of the tattoo after using an MRI machine. These complications can range from mildly irritating to extremely threatening. Piercings can leave permanent scars that can range from tiny spots to large gashes.